Guess Who I Pulled Last Night? (37 page)

You’ve probably guessed by now what this once was. 
I hope you like it.  I do understand that one day you may not want to wear
it, but until then I hope it makes you feel close to me and remind you, of how
much I love you.

Niall xxx

Holding back a sob, Charlotte reached behind her head and
fastened the silver chain round her neck.  She looked down on the perfect
heart, shining against the black of her blouse.  He was right. It did make
her feel close to him, but she would never take it off. This was a part of her
life that she always wanted to remember and be proud of; no matter where she
went, or what she did in the future.

Charlotte folded the note and popped it back inside the
envelope with the letter and put them into her handbag, making safe the words
that she would cherish forever.  Just as she was drying her eyes Paul came
in, breaking the silence that Gwen and Laura had considerately adopted over the
last few minutes.  He breezed in happy and smiling as usual, brightening
up the grey afternoon.

“Hi girls, everything okay?”

Laura nodded and Gwen positively glowed at being referred to
as a girl, giggling coquettishly.  She always tried to flirt with Paul,
positive that one day he would see the error of his ways, and go to her for
comfort. However, he didn’t stop at her desk today, but carried on to
Charlottes, pulling a chair up next to hers.

He put a comforting hand on her arm.  “Are you okay?”
he asked tenderly.

Charlotte smiled weakly at him and cuffed him on the arm.

“You knew all about it then?”

Paul nodded.  “Yes I’m afraid.  I spoke to him
earlier in the week, and he asked me what I thought, whether it was a good idea
or not, and of course, I said that it was.  I tried to persuade him to go
to your house and give it to you personally, but he didn’t feel that he
should.”

“I’m glad that he didn’t,” Charlotte sighed. “This way was
bad enough, you know knowing that he’s been here, but see him well…” she
trailed off, her thoughts picturing a meeting with Niall.

“I think that he may have done at first, he had the address
and everything, but then maybe his nerve went. I don’t know.”

There was a moment of silence before Charlotte spoke. 
“H-h-how is he, is he okay?”        

Paul ran a hand through his hair, choosing his words
carefully.

“Well he isn’t good.”  He saw the look of alarm on
Charlotte’s face.  “Hey, no, there’s nothing to worry about, he’s healthy
and everything, although he has lost weight. It’s his mental state I'm worried
about.  He's so unhappy Charlotte. He just doesn’t want this wedding to be
happening, he needs to be with you, but you know what with the baby, it’s
difficult.”

“I know. He's a good honourable Catholic boy.” 
Charlotte smiled, remembering Niall’s description of himself.

“I think it’s his mother, he’s more worried about
upsetting.  He knows that he has a responsibility to Ingrid, although I am
sure that she could manage perfectly well on her own.  He’s afraid his
mother won’t approve of him abandoning Ingrid apparently it would rather be
history repeating itself.  I believe his father abandoned his mother,
several times.”

“I know he told me,” Charlotte whispered.  “You seem to
have become good friends,” she said.

“We’ve talked a couple of times, but I think that he likes
that I’m some sort of contact with you.”  He looked at her sad little
face, and remembered his promise to Niall.

“Charlotte he does love you, very much.”  Paul stood up
and ruffled her hair gently. “Why don’t you get off now and go and do some
shopping or something.”

“Hmm, I may just do that,” she sighed.  “Tom ate me out
of house and home when he stayed, and I haven’t replenished the cupboards
since.”

Suddenly, Paul’s eyes lit up. “Oh Tom, how is the dear boy?”

As Charlotte ambled around the supermarket, her mind was
elsewhere, definitely not among the buy one get one free offers, and so her
trolley was full of expensive food that she would probably never eat. 
Unluckily for her, she had also picked the trolley with a mind of its own, and
was spending most of the time walking backwards and dragging it behind
her.  It was as she was pushing and pulling her trolley around in the
bread aisle that she walked straight into someone behind her.  Charlotte
quickly turned around to see an older lady, dressed in a smart grey coat; she
was also walking backwards.

Charlotte nodded towards the manic trolley.  “Has yours
got a mind of its own as well?”

The lady smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “Sure, it
doesn’t help that I don’t know where to find anything.  I’m visiting you
see.”

Charlotte took a sharp intake of breath, at the sound of the
soft lilting Irish accent.

“I’ve been in here nearly an hour now. They will be sending out
a search party for me.”

Charlotte smiled and moved towards her.  “Here, let me
have a look at your list, perhaps I can help.  My mind isn’t really on my
shopping to tell you the truth.”  She was glad for a distraction from the
thoughts and pictures whirling around in her head.

The lady passed over the list, letting Charlotte take
charge, so that within fifteen minutes, she had everything that she
needed.  She then followed Charlotte to the checkout, where she helped her
load all her shopping onto the conveyor belt.

“Thank you so much dear, it really was very kind of you. My
little boy will be sick of waiting in the car for me,” the lady sighed.

Charlotte frowned slightly, my little boy, surely it must be
her grandchild.  Smart as the lady was she looked at at least sixty, still
perhaps she’d had a hard life, but fancy leaving him in the car!

After they had finished loading the lady’s shopping,
Charlotte began hauling her own onto the shiny, black conveyor belt.  She
had to wonder what she was going to make with a tube of anchovy paste, a jar of
pickled eggs and two bags of desiccated coconut.  Granny Joan would be
able to make something of it all; she was sure.

The Irish lady paid for her shopping and then started to
push her trolley out, turning one last time to wave at Charlotte and mouth a
silent thank you. Charlotte mouthed back, “no problem” and started to pack her
carrier bags.

As she struggled to the car with her lively trolley,
Charlotte could see the lady, in the distance, walking back from the trolley
park to her car.  Charlotte was just about to turn around the drag her
shopping backwards when the lady’s car caught her eye; a familiar silver Audi.

“Niall,” she whispered.

Ignoring the fat, greasy man beeping at her to get out of
the way of his rusty white van, Charlotte watched wistfully as the car sped off
across the car park.  She couldn’t see him clearly, but could just make
out a baseball-capped figure in the driver’s seat.  The lady was obviously
his mum over for the wedding; thank God he hadn’t decide to go to the
supermarket with her.

“Oi, are you moving or what?” the fat, greasy man bawled at
her, blasting the horn once more.

Charlotte gave him her best look of disdain, and walked
away, with as much dignity that she could muster while dragging a wobbly
trolley behind her.

“Blimey Ma, what have you been doing all this time?  I
nearly sent out a search party for yer.  Julia and Helena will be cursing
us, leaving them with Ingrid all this time.”

“Ah well I couldn’t find anything, but then this pretty girl
helped me out. She was kindness itself, with the face of an angel and a
beautiful speaking voice, just the sort of…”

“Enough Ma,” Niall scolded, holding up his hand. 
“Ingrid is having my baby, and I am marrying her full stop.”

“But Niall sweetheart, yer not happy, I could see that the
moment I set eyes on yer yesterday and as for herself, well the devil himself
wouldn’t want to marry that one.  I do not, and will not, judge you by the
sins of your father.  You are two totally different men Niall; you don’t
love her, and I would hate it more if you had a loveless marriage like mine
than only saw your child at weekends.”

“For the last time I am not following in Da’s footsteps, so
please drop the subject.” And with that he turned up the radio, to drown of the
ticking of his mother’s brain, and the thumping of his heart.

Charlotte, Kerry and Bets all met up that evening at
Charlotte’s house for a quiet night in, watching weepy videos and drinking
cheap wine.  There was not the usual bravado and of all of them, Kerry was
the only one who seemed to have anything to be happy about.

“Come on you two, Julia Roberts hasn’t even died yet, so
what are you so down in the mouth about?”  She glanced at them both
sprawled across the sofa.

Charlotte was picking at the seam on her sweater, while Bets
insisted on folding, and re-folding a piece of kitchen roll.  They both
looked up at Kerry, doleful eyes from beneath furrowed brows.

“I’m just a tad pissed off that’s all. It's allowed isn’t
it?” muttered Bets.

Charlotte turned to her. She had been so caught up in her
own misery that she hadn’t realised that Bets was also looking like someone who
had the winning lottery numbers, but hadn’t bought a ticket.

“Well yes it is allowed, but it may help if you both told me
what the matter was.”  Kerry looked expectantly, from one to the other.
“Well?”

“I’ve seen Niall today.”

“And you?”

“I can’t get a man.”

At that point, both Kerry and Charlotte snorted in derision.

“Crap, you’ve always got men falling at your feet,” scoffed
Charlotte.  “Unlike me, I’m so desirable that the man I love is willing to
marry a scrawny, wizened, domineering, nasty old boot to get away from me!”

“Not bitter at all, are we Charlotte?” Bets asked. 
“Well for your information I’m sick of those men who fall at my feet. 
I’ve decided that I want a proper relationship, and I want to settle down, but
I just can’t seem to get the man of my dreams at the moment.”

Kerry smiled kindly at Bets, realising that she had been in
this mood of despair for a few weeks now, so it was obviously serious.

“Sweetheart you will find the right man.”  Kerry
stretched across and rubbed Bets’ leg.

“Hmm, well maybe I’m in the same boat as Charlotte. 
I’ve found him but he doesn’t want me, ever thought of that?”

Charlotte turned sharply to her, amazed at what Bets had
just said.  “God, I can’t believe that there is a man out there that
wouldn’t want you, you well…you’re beautiful.”

Bets pulled Charlotte to her and hugged her tightly. 
“Well thank you, but your recommendation doesn’t really seem to help.”

“Well I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want either of you,”
said Kerry.  “I think that you are both beautiful and wonderful human
beings.”  Kerry’s eyes brimmed with tears. The copious amounts of plonk
consumed having a sentimental effect on her state of mind.  They both
simply smiled in return, recognising the start of a drunken declaration of love
for them both.

Half an hour later, with the mood much brighter, Kerry and Charlotte
decided to nip down the road for some crisps, nuts and chocolates.  The
munchies well and truly kicking in.

Bets sat alone, staring blankly at the T.V., not really
taking anything in, when suddenly the lounge door began to open.

“God, you were quick, did you change your mind?”

There in the doorway stood Tom, turning a very deep pink as
he came face to face with Bets.

“Hi,” he whispered, aware of the effect that seeing her was
having on his complexion.

“Oh hi, how did you get in?” Bets' question was barely
audible as she tried to stifle the quiver to her voice.

 Tom waved a set of keys at her as her. “Charlotte gave
me a set when I stayed.”  He moved in through the door and perched on the
chair opposite to Bets, his hands deep inside his jacket pockets, staring
equally blankly at the flashing television screen.  “Where is Charlotte
anyway?”  Tom asked.

“Shop,” was all she managed to utter. A ball of air caught
at the back of her throat.

“Oh.”

Tom turned slowly from the T.V. and stared intently at Bets,
who was sneaking a look at him in turn.  Surprising each other, they both
quickly turned to the game show on the television, then after a few minutes the
silence became deafening, and Tom looked back at Bets.

“So, how are you?” he asked timidly.

Bets hesitated for a moment, amazed at how nervous she
suddenly felt in his company. This was Tom, who she had known forever, Tom, who
had become a good friend over the last few months, Tom, who she always had an
insult for, so why did she feel tongue tied and unable to bring herself to look
at him, and why were her hands shaking underneath the cushion on her
knee.  Slowly Bets lifted her head to meet his gaze and couldn’t help but
smile.  He looked so handsome, with his long lashes sweeping against his
cheeks, and his big brown eyes peering out from beneath his furrowed
brow.  It reminded her of the look that he always had as a child, when he
was struggling to tie his shoe laces. 

“I’m okay,” she uttered at last.  “A bit tired, but
okay.”  Then, there was silence once more, until Bets spoke. “And you?”

“Same really, can’t stop thinking about you, but apart from
that fine,” he said casually, before coughing nervously.

Bet’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

“Don’t look so shocked, you’re not telling me that you
haven’t been feeling the same way.”  Tom looked at her pleadingly,
desperate for her to agree.

She did, and nodded silently.

“So, what are we going to do?” he asked.

Bets shrugged.  “I don’t know. It's difficult to
understand isn’t it? We've known each other for a lifetime, and it’s not as if
we’ve ever kissed or anything,” she sighed.